Biology

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Ecological Adaptations | Hydrophytes | Xerophytes | Mesophytes | Epiphytes | Halophytes

The modifications in the structure of organisms to survive successfully in an environment are called adaptations of organisms. Adaptations help the organisms to exist under the prevailing ecological habitat. Based on the habitats and the corresponding adaptations of plants, they are classified as hydrophytes, xerophytes, mesophytes, epiphytes and halophytes.

Hydrophytes

The plants which are living in water or wet places are called hydrophytes. According to their relation to water and air, they are subdivided into following categories:

1. Free floating hydrophytes
2. Rooted – floating hydrophytes
3. Submerged floating hydrophytes
4. Rooted – submerged hydrophytes
5. Amphibious hydrophytes.

1. Free floating hydrophytes:

These plants float freely on the surface of water. They remain in contact with water and air, but not with soil. Examples: Eichhornia, Pistia and Wolffia (smallest flowering plant).

2. Rooted flating hydrophytes:

In these plants, the roots are field in mud, but their leaves and flowers are flating on the surface of water. These plants are in contact with soil, water and air. Examples: Nelumbo, Nymphaea, Potomogeton and Marsilea. Lotus seeds show highest longevity in plant kingdom.

3. Submerged flating hydrophytes:

These plants are completely submerged in water and not in contact with soil and air. Examples: Ceratophyllum and Utricularia.

4. Rooted – submerged hydrophytes:

These plants are completely submerged in water and rooted in soil and not in contact with air.
Examples: Hydrilla, Vallisneria and Isoetes.

5. Amphibious hydrophytes (Rooted emergent hydrophytes):

These plants are adapted to both aquatic and terrestrial modes of life. They grow in shallow water. Examples: Ranunculus, Typha and Sagittaria.

Hygrophytes:

The plants which can grow in moist damp and shady places are called hygrophytes. Examples: Habenaria (Orchid), Mosses (Bryophytes), etc.

Morphological adaptations of Hydrophytes: In root

• Roots are totally absent in Wolff and Salvinia or poorly developed in Hydrilla or well developed in Ranunculus.
• The root caps are replaced by root pockets. Example: Eichhornia

In stem

• The stem is long, slender, spongy and flexible in submerged forms.
• In free flating forms the stem is thick, short stoloniferous and spongy; and in rooted floating forms, it is a rhizome.
• Vegetative propagation is through runners, stolon, stem and root cuttings, tubers, dormant apices and offets.

In leaves

• The leaves are thin, long and ribbon shaped in Vallisneria or long and linear in Potamogeton or finely dissected in Ceratophyllum.
• The floating leaves are large and flat as in Nymphaea and Nelumbo. In Eichhornia and Trapa petioles become swollen and spongy.
• In emergent forms, the leaves show heterophylly (Submerged leaves are dissected and aerial leaves are entire).

Example: Ranunculus, Limnophila heterophylla and Sagittaria

Anatomical adaptations

• Cuticle is either completely absent or if present it is thin and poorly developed
• Single layer of epidermis is present
• Cortex is well developed with aerenchyma
• Vascular tissues are poorly developed. In emergent forms vascular elements are well developed.
• Mechanical tissues are generally absent except in some emergent forms. Pith cells are sclerenchymatous.
  

Physiological adaptations of Hydrophytes:

• Hydrophytes have the ability to withstand anaerobic conditions.
• They possess special aerating organs.

Xerophytes

The plants which are living in dry or xeric condition are known as Xerophytes. Xerophytic habitat can be of two different types. They are:

a. Physical dryness:

In these habitats, soil has a little amount of water due to the inability of the soil to hold water because of low rainfall.

b. Physiological dryness:

In these habitats, water is suffiently present but plants are unable to absorb it because of the absence of capillary spaces. Example: Plants in salty and acidic soil. Based on adaptive characters xerophytes are classified into three categories. They are Ephemerals, Succulents and Non succulent plants.

(i) Ephemerals:

These are also called drought escapers or drought evaders. These plants complete their life cycle within a short period (single season). These are not true xerophytes. Examples: Argemone, Mollugo, Tribulus and Tephrosia.

(ii) Succulents:

These are also called drought enduring plants. These plants store water in their plant parts during the dry period. These plants develop certain adaptive characters to resist extreme drought conditions. Examples: Opuntia, Aloe, Bryophyllum and Begonia.

(iii) Non succulents:

These are also called drought resistant plants (true xerophytes). They face both external and internal dryness. They have many adaptations to resist dry conditions. Examples: Casuarina, Nerium, Zizyphus and Acacia.

Morphological Adaptations In root

• Root system is well developed and is greater than that of shoot system.
• Root hairs and root caps are also well developed.

In xerophytic plants with the leaves and stem are covered with hairs are called trichophyllous plants. Example: Cucurbits (Melothria and Mukia)

In stem

• Stems are mostly hard and woody. They may be aerial or underground.
• The stems and leaves are covered with wax coating or covered with dense hairs.
• In some xerophytes all the internodes in the stem are modifid into a flashy leaf structure called phylloclades (Opuntia).
• In some of the others single or occasionally two internodes modifid into flashy green structure called cladode (Asparagus).

In some the petiole is modifid into a flashy leaf like structure called phyllode (Acacia melanoxylon).

In leaves

• Leaves are generally leathery and shiny to reflect light and heat.
• In some plants like Euphorbia, Acacia, Ziziphus and Capparis, the stipules are modified into spines.
• The entire leaves are modifid into spines (Opuntia) or reduced to scales (Asparagus).

Anatomical adaptations

• Presence of multilayered epidermis with heavy cuticle to prevent water loss due to transpiration.
• Hypodermis is well developed with sclerenchymatous tissues.
• Sunken stomata are present only in the lower epidermis with hairs in the sunken pits.
• Scotoactive type of stomata found in succulent plants.
• Vascular bundles are well developed with several layered bundle sheath.
• Mesophyll is well diffrentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma.
• In succulents the stem possesses a water storage region.
  

Physiological adaptations

• Most of the physiological processes are designed to reduce transpiration.
• Life cycle is completed within a short period (Ephemerals).

Mesophytes

The plants which are living in moderate conditions (neither too wet nor too dry) are known as mesophytes. These are common land plants. Example: Maize and Hibiscus.

Morphological adaptations

• Root system is well developed with root caps and root hairs.
• Stems are generally aerial, stout and highly branched.
• Leaves are generally large, broad, thin with different shapes.

Anatomical adaptations

• Cuticle in aerial parts are moderately developed.
• Epidermis is well developed and stomata are generally present on both the epidermis.
• Mesophyll is well diffrentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma.
• Vascular and mechanical tissues are fairly developed and well diffrentiated.

Physiological adaptations

• All physiological processes are normal.
• Temporary wilting takes place at room temperature when there is water scarcity.

Tropophytes are plants which behave as xerophytes at summer and behave as mesophytes (or) hydrophytes during rainy season.

Epiphytes

Epiphytes are plants which grow perched on other plants (Supporting plants). They use the supporting plants only as shelter and not for water or food supply. These epiphytes are commonly seen in tropical rain forests. Examples: Orchids, Lianas, Hanging Mosses and Money plant.

Morphological adaptations

• Root system is extensively developed. These roots may be of two types. They are Clinging roots and Aerial roots. Clinging roots fix the epiphytes firmly on the surface of the supporting objects.
• Aerial roots are green coloured roots which may hang downwardly and absorb moisture from the atmosphere with the help of a spongy tissue called velamen.
• Stem of some epiphytes are succulent and develop pseudobulb or tuber.
• Generally the leaves are lesser in number and may be fleshy and leathery.
• Myrmecophily is a common occurrence in the epiphytic vegetation to prevent the predators.
• The fruits and seeds are very small and usually dispersed by wind, insects and birds.

Anatomical adaptations

• Multilayered epidermis is present. Inner to the velamen tissue, the peculiar exodermis layer is present.
• Presence of thick cuticle and sunken stomata greatly reduces transpiration.
• Succulent epiphytes contain well developed parenchymatous cells to store water.
  

Physiological adaptations

Special absorption processes of water by velamen tissue.

Halophytes

There are special type of Halophytic plants which grow on soils with high concentration of salts. Examples: Rhizophora, Sonneratia and Avicennia.

Halophytes are usually found near the seashores and Estuaries. The soils are physically wet but physiologically dry. As plants cannot use salt water directly they require filtration of salt using physiological processes. This vegetation is also known as mangrove forest and the plants are called mangroves.

Morphological adaptations

• The temperate halophytes are herbaceous but the tropical halophytes are mostly bushy
• In addition to the normal roots, many stilt roots are developed
• A special type of negatively geotropic roots called pneumatophores with pneumathodes to get sufficient aeration are also present. They are called breathing roots. Example: Avicennia
  
• Presence of thick cuticle on the aerial parts of the plant body
• Leaves are thick, entire, succulent and glossy. Some species are aphyllous (without leaves).
  
• Viviparous mode of seed germination is found in halophytes
  

Anatomical adaptations

• Epidermal cells of stem is heavy cutinized, almost squarish and are filled with oil and tannins.
• ‘Star’ shaped sclereids and ‘H’ shaped heavy thickened spicules that provide mechanical strength to cortex are present in the stem.
• The leaves may be dorsiventral or isobilateral with salt secreting glands.

Physiological adaptations

• High osmotic pressure exists in some plants.
• Seeds germinate in the fruits while on the mother plant (Vivipary).

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Ecological Factors | Climatic Factors | Edaphic Factors | Topographic Factors | Biotic Factors

Many organisms, co-exist in an environment. The environment (surrounding) includes physical, chemical and biological components. When a component surrounding an organism affects the life of an organism, it becomes a factor.

All such factors together are called environmental factors or ecological factors. These factors can be classified into living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) which make the environment of an organism. However the ecological factors are meaningfully grouped into four classes, which are as follows:

• Climatic factors
• Edaphic factors
• Topographic factors
• Biotic factors

We will discuss the above factors in a concise manner.

Climatic Factors

Climate is one of the important natural factors controlling the plant life. The climatic factors includes light, temperature, water, wind and fire.

a. Light

Light is a well known factor needed for the basic physiological processes of plants, such as photosynthesis, transpiration, seed germination and flowering. The portion of the sunlight which can be resolved by the human eye is called visible light.

The visible part of light is madeup of wavelength from about 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red). The rate of photosynthesis is maximum at blue (400 – 500 nm) and red (600 – 700 nm). The green (500 – 600 nm) wave length of spectrum is less strongly absorbed by plants.

Based on the tolerance to intensities of light, the plants are divided into two types. They are:-

• Heliophytes – Light loving plants. Example: Angiosperms.
• Sciophytes – Shade loving plants. Example: Bryophytes and Pteridophytes.

b. Temperature

Temperature is one of the important factors which affect almost all the metabolic activities of an organism. Every physiological process in an organism requires an optimum temperature at which it shows the maximum metabolic rate. Three limits of temperature can be recognized for any organism. They are

• Minimum temperature – Physiological activities are lowest.
• Optimum temperature – Physiological activities are maximum.
• Maximum temperature – Physiological activities will stop.

Based on the temperature prevailing in an area, Raunkiaer classified the world’s vegetation into the following four types. They are megatherms, mesotherms, microtherms and hekistotherms. In thermal springs and deep sea hydrothermal vents the average temperature exceed 100°c. Based on the range of thermal tolerance, organisms are divided into two types.

1. Eurythermal:

Organisms which can tolerate a wide range of temperature fluctuations.
Example: Zostera (A marine Angiosperm) and Artemisia tridentata.

2. Stenothermal:

Organisms which can tolerate only small range of temperature variations. Example: Mango and Palm (Terrestrial Angiosperms). Mango plant does not grow in temperate countries like Canada and Germany.

Thermal Stratifiation:

It is usually found in aquatic habitat. The change in the temperature profile with increasing depth in a water body is called thermal stratifiation. There are three levels of thermal stratifiations.

• Epilimnion – The upper layer of warmer water.
• Metalimnion – The middle layer with a zone of gradual decrease in temperature.
• Hypolimnion – The bottom layer of colder water.

Temperature based zonation

Variations in latitude and altitude do affect the temperature and the vegetation on the earth surface. The latitudinal and altitudinal zonation of vegetation is illustrated below:

Latitude:
Latitude is an angle which ranges from 0° at the equator to 90° at the place.

Altitude:
How high a place is located above the sea level is called the altitude of the place.

Timber line/Tree line:
It is an imaginary line in a mountain or higher areas of land that marks the level above which trees do not grow. The altitudinal limit of normal tree growth is about 3000 to 4000m.

Effects of temperature

The following physiological processes are inflenced by temperature:

• Temperature affcts the enzymatic action of all the bio-chemical reactions in a plant body.
• It inflences CO₂ and O₂ solubility in the biological systems. Increases respiration and stimulates growth of seedlings.
• Low temperature with high humidity can cause spread of diseases in plants.
• The varying temperature with moisture determines the distribution of the vegetation types.

c. Water

Water is one of the most important climatic factors. It affects the vital processes of all living organisms. It is believed that even life had originated only in water during the evolution of Earth. Water covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface. In nature, water is available to plants in three ways. They are atmospheric moisture, precipitation and soil water.

The productivity and distribution of plants depend upon the availability of water. Further the quality of water is also important especially for the aquatic organisms. The total amount of water salinity in different water bodies are:

• 5% in inland water (Fresh water)
• 30 – 35% in sea water and
• More than 100% in hypersaline water (Lagoons) Based on the range of tolerance of salinity, organisms are divided into two types.

1. Euryhaline:
Organisms which can live in water with wide range of salinity. Examples: Marine algae and marina angiosperms

2. Stenohaline:
Organisms which can withstand only small range of salinity. Example: Plants of estuaries.

Examples of tolerance to toxicity

(i) Soyabean and tomato manage to tolerate presence of cadmium poisoning by isolating cadmium and storing into few group of cells and prevent cadmium affcting other cells.

(ii) Rice and Eichhornia (water hyacinth) tolerate cadmium by binding it to their proteins. These plants otherwise can also be used to remove cadmium from contaminated soil, this is known as Phytoremediation.

d. Wind

Air in motion is called wind. It is also a vital ecological factor. The atmospheric air contains a number of gases, particles and other constituents. The composition of gases in atmosphere is as follows: Nitrogen – 78% , Oxygen – 21%, Carbon-di-oxide – 0.03%, Argon and other gases – 0.93%. The other components of wind are water vapour, gaseous pollutants, dust, smoke particles, microorganisms, pollen grains, spores, etc. Anemometer is the instrument used to measure the speed of wind.

Effects of wind

• Wind is an important factor for the formation of rain
• Causes wave formation in lakes and ocean, promotes aeration of water
• Strong wind causes soil erosion and reduces soil fertility
• Increases the rate of transpiration
• Helps in pollination in anemophilous plants
• It also helps in dispersal of many fruits, seeds, spores, etc.
• Strong wind may cause up-rooting of big trees
• Unidirectional wind stimulates the development of flag forms in trees.
  

e. Fire

Fire is an exothermic factor caused due to the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat and light. It is mostly man-made and sometimes develops naturally due to the friction between the tree surfaces. Fire is generally divided into

• Ground fie – Which is flameless and subterranean.
• Surface fie – Which consumes the herbs and shrubs.
• Crown fie – Which burns the forest canopy.

Effects of fie

• Fire has a direct lethal effect on plants
• Burning scars are the suitable places for the entry of parasitic fungi and insects
• It brings out the alteration of light, rainfall, nutrient cycle, fertility of soil, pH, soil flora and fauna
• Some fungi which grow in soil of burnt areas called pyrophilous. Example: Pyronema conflens.

Edaphic factors

Edaphic factors, the abiotic factors related to soil, include the physical and chemical composition of the soil formed in a particular area. The study of soils is called Pedology.

The soil

Soil is the weathered superfiial layer of the Earth in which plants can grow. It is a complex composite mass consisting of soil constituents, soil water, soil air and soil organisms, etc.

Soil formation

Soil originates from rocks and develops gradually at different rates, depending upon the ecological and climatic conditions. Soil formation is initiated by the weathering process. Biological weathering takes place when organisms like bacteria, fungi, lichens and plants help in the breakdown of rocks through the production of acids and certain chemical substances.

Soil types

Based on soil formation (pedogenesis), the soils are divided into

• Residual soils – These are soils formed by weathering and pedogenesis of the rock.
• Transported soils – These are transported by various agencies.

The important edaphic factors which affect vegetation are as follows:

1. Soil moisture:
Plants absorbs rain water and moisture directly from the air

2. Soil water:
Soil water is more important than any other ecological factors affecting the distribution of plants. Rain is the main source of soil water. Capillary water held between pore spaces of soil particles and angles between them is the most important form of water available to the plants.

3. Soil reactions:
Soil may be acidic or alkaline or neutral in their reaction. pH value of the soil solution determines the availability of plant nutrients. The best pH range of the soil for cultivation of crop plants is 5.5 to 6.8.

4. Soil nutrients:
Soil fertility and productivity is the ability of soil to provide all essential plant nutrients such as minerals and organic nutrients in the form of ions.

5. Soil temperature:
Soil temperature of an area plays an important role in determining the geographical distribution of plants. Low temperature reduces use of water and solute absorption by roots.

6. Soil atmosphere:
The spaces left between soil particles are called pore spaces which contains oxygen and carbon-di-oxide.

7. Soil organisms:
Many organisms existing in the soil like bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoans, nematodes, insects, earthworms, etc. are called soil organisms.

Soil Profie

Soil is commonly stratified into horizons at different depth. These layers differ in their physical, chemical and biological properties. This succession of super-imposed horizons is called soil profie.

Types of soil particles

Based on the relative proportion of soil particles, four types of soil are recognized.

Loamy soil is ideal soil for cultivation. It consists of 70% sand and 30% clay or silt or both. It ensures good retention and proper drainage of water. Th porosity of soil provides adequate aeration and allows the penetration of roots.

Based on the water retention, aeration and mineral contents of soil, the distribution of vegetation is divided into following types.

• Halophytes: Plants living in saline soils
• Psammophytes: Plants living in sandy soils
• Lithophytes: Plants living on rocky surface
• Chasmophytes: Plants living in rocky crevices
• Cryptophytes: Plants living below the soil surface
• Cryophytes: Plants living on surface of ice
• Oxylophytes: Plants living in acidic soil
• Calciphytes: Plants living in calcium rich alkaline soil

Topographic factors

The surface features of earth are called topography. Topographic influence on the climate of any area is determined by the interaction of solar radiation, temperature, humidity, rainfall, latitude and altitude. It affects the vegetation through climatic variations in small areas (micro climate) and even changes the soil conditions. Topographic factors include latitude, altitude, direction of mountain, steepness of mountain etc.

a. Latitudes and altitudes

Latitudes represent distance from the equator. Temperature values are maximum at the equator and decrease gradually towards poles. Different types of vegetation occur from equator to poles which are illustrated below.

Height above the sea level forms the altitude. At high altitudes, the velocity of wind remains high, temperature and air pressure decrease while humidity and intensity of light increases. Due to these factors, vegetation at different altitudes varies, showing distinct zonation.

b. Direction of Mountain

North and south faces of mountain or hill possess different types of flra and fauna because they differ in their humidity, rainfall, light intensity, light duration and temperature regions.

Ecotone – The transition zone between two ecosystems.
Example: The border between forest and grassland.

Edge effect – Spices found in ecotone areas are unique due to the effect of the two habitats. This is called edge effect. Example: Owl in the ecotone area between forest and grassland.

The two faces of the mountain or hill receive different amount of solar radiation, wind action and rain. Of these two faces, the windward region possesses good vegetation due to heavy rains and the leeward region possesses poor vegetation due to rain shadows (rain defit).

Similarly in the soil of aquatic bodies like ponds the center and edge possess different depth of water due to soil slope and different wave actions in the water body. Therefore, different parts of the same area may possess different species of organisms.

c. Steepness of the mountain

The steepness of the mountain or hill allows the rain to run off As a result the loss of water causes water deficit and quick erosion of the top soil resulting in poor vegetation. On the other hand, the plains and valley are rich in vegetation due to the slow drain of surface water and better retention of water in the soil.

Biotic factors

The interactions among living organisms such as plants and animals are called biotic factors, which may cause marked effects upon vegetation. The effcts may be direct and indirect and modifies the environment. The plants mostly which lives together in a community and influence one another. Similarly, animals in association with plants also affect the plant life in one or several ways.

The different interactions among them can be classified into following two types they are positive interaction and negative interaction Positive interactions When one or both the participating species are benefied, it is positive interaction. Examples; Mutualism and Commensalism.

a. Mutualism:

It is an interaction between two species of organisms in which both are benefited from the obligate association. The following are common examples of mutualism.

Nitrogen fiation

Rhizobium (Bacterium) forms nodules in the roots of leguminous plants and lives symbiotically. The Rhizobium obtains food from leguminous plant and in turn fies atmospheric nitrogen into nitrate, making it available to host plants.

Other examples:

• Water fern (Azolla) and Nitrogen fixing Cyanobacterium (Anabaena).
• Anabaena present in coralloid roots of Cycas. (Gymnosperm)
• Cyanobacterium (Nostoc) found in the thalloid body of Anthoceros. (Bryophytes)
• Wasps present in fruits of fig.
• Lichen is a mutual association of an alga and a fungus.
• Roots of terrestrial plants and fungal hyphae – Mycorrhiza

b. Commensalism:

It is an interaction between two organisms in which one is benefitted and the other is neither benefited nor harmed. The species that derives benefit is called the commensal, while the other species is called the host. The common examples of commensalism are listed below:

Epiphytes

The plants which are found growing on other plants without harming them are called epiphytes. They are commonly found in tropical rain forest.

The epiphytic higher plant (Orchid) gets its nutrients and water from the atmosphere with the help of the hygroscopic roots which contain special type of spongy tissue called Velamen. It prepares its own food and does not depend on the host. Using the host plant only they support and does not harm it in any way.

• Many orchids, ferns, lianas, hanging mosses, Peperomia, money plant and Usnea (Lichen) are some of the examples of epiphytes.
• Spanish Moss – Tillandsia grows on the bark of Oak and Pine trees.

Negative interactions

When one of the interacting species is benefitted and the other is harmed, it is called negative interaction. Examples: predation, parasitism, competition and amensalism.

a. Predation:

It is an interaction between two species, one of which captures, kills and eats up the other. The species which kills is called a predator and the species which is killed is called a prey. The predator is benefitted while the prey is harmed.

Examples:

A number of plants like Drosera (Sun dew plant), Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant), Dionaea (Venus fly trap), Utricularia (Bladder wort) and Sarracenia are predators which consume insects and other small animals for their food as a source of nitrogen. They are also called as insectivorous plants.

Many herbivores are predators. Cattles, Camels, Goats etc., frequently browse on the tender shoots of herbs, shrubs and trees. Generally annuals suffer more than the perennials. Grazing and browsing may cause remarkable changes in vegetation. Nearly 25 percent of all insects are known as phytophagous (feeds on plant sap and other parts of plant)

Many defense mechanisms are evolved to avoid their predations by plants. Examples: Calotropis produces highly poisonous cardiac glycosides, Tobacco produces nicotine, coffe plants produce caffine, Cinchona plant produces quinine. Throns of Bougainvillea, spines of Opuntia, and latex of cacti also protect them from predators.

b. Parasitism:

It is an interaction between two different species in which the smaller partner (parasite) obtains food from the larger partner (host or plant). So the parasitic species is benefied while the host species is harmed. Based on the host-parasite relationship, parasitism is classified into two types they are holoparasite and hemiparasite.

Holoparasites

The organisms which are dependent upon the host plants for their entire nutrition are called Holoparasites. They are also called total parasites.

Examples:

• Cuscuta is a total stem parasite of the host plant Acacia, Duranta and many other plants. Cuscuta even gets flower inducing hormone from its host plant.
• Balanophora, Orobanche and Rafflia are the total root parasites found on higher plants.

Hemiparasites

The organisms which derive only water and minerals from their host plant while synthesizing their own food by photosynthesis are called Hemiparasites. They are also called partial parasites.

Examples:

• Viscum and Loranthus are partial stem parasites.
• Santalum (Sandal Wood) is a partial root parasite.

The parasitic plants produce the haustorial roots inside the host plant to absorb nutrients from the vascular tissues of host plants.

c. Competition:

It is an interaction between two organisms or species in which both the organisms or species are harmed. Competition is the severest in population that has irregular distribution. Competition is classified into intraspecific and interspecific.

1. Intraspecific competition:

It is an interaction between individuals of the same species. This competition is very severe because all the members of species have similar requirements of food, habitat, pollination etc. and they also have similar adaptations to fulfill their needs.

2. Interspecific competition:

It is an interaction between individuals of different species. In grassland, many species of grasses grow well as there is little competition when enough nutrients and water is available.

During drought shortage of water occurs. A life and death competition starts among the different species of grass lands. Survival in both these competitions is determined by the quantity of nutrients, availability of water and migration to new areas.

Different species of herbivores, larvae and grass hopper competing for fodder or forage plants. Trees, shrubs and herbs in a forest struggle for sunlight, water and nutrients and also for pollination and dispersal of fruits and seeds. The Utricularia (Bladderwort) competes with tiny fishes for small crustaceans and insects.

d. Amensalism:

It is an interspecific interaction in which one species is inhibited while the other species is neither benefited nor harmed. The inhibition is achieved by the secretion of certain chemicals called allelopathic substances. Amensalism is also called antibiosis.

• Penicillium notatum produces penicillin to inhibit the growth of a variety of bacteria especially Staphylococcus.
• Trichoderma inhibits the growth of fungus Aspergillus.
• Roots and hulls of Black Walnut Juglans nigra secretes an alkaloid Juglone which inhibits the growth of seedlings of Apple, Tomato and Alfalfa around it.

Interspecific interactions / Co-evolutionary dynamics

i. Mimicry:

It is a phenomenon in which living organism modifis its form, appearance, structure or behaviour and looks like another living organism as a self defence and increases the chance of its survival. Floral mimicry is for usually inviting pollinators but animal mimicry is often protective. Mimicry is a result of evolutionary signifiance due to shape and sudden heritable mutation and preservation by natural selection.

Example:

• The plant, Ophrys an orchid, the flower looks like a female insect to attract the male insect to get pollinated by the male insect and it is otherwise called ‘floral mimicry’.
• Carausium morosus – stick insect or walking stick. It is a protective mimicry.
• Phyllium frondosum – leaf insect, another example of protective mimicry.

ii. Myrmecophily:

Sometimes, ants take their shelter on some trees such as Mango, Litchi, Jamun, Acacia etc. These ants act as body guards of the plants against any disturbing agent and the plants in turn provide food and shelter to these ants. This phenomenon is known as Myrmecophily. Example: Acacia and acacia ants.

iii. Co-evolution:

The interaction between organisms, when continues for generations, involves reciprocal changes in genetic and morphological characters of both organisms. This type of evolution is called Co-evolution. It is a kind of co-adaptation and mutual change among interactive species. Examples:

Corolla length and proboscis length of butterfles and moths (Habenaria and Moth).

• Bird’s beak shape and flower shape and size.
• More examples: Horn bills and birds of Scrub jungles, Slit size of pollinia of Apocynaceae members and leg size of insects.

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Principles of Ecology

The term “ecology” (oekologie) is derived from two Greek words – oikos (meaning house or dwelling place and logos meaning study) It was first proposed by Reiter (1868). However, the most widely accepted defiition of ecology was given by Ernest Haeckel (1869).

Alexandar von Humbolt – Father of Ecology
Eugene P. Odum – Father of modern Ecology
R. Misra – Father of Indian Ecology

Definitions of ecology

“The study of living organisms, both plants and animals, in their natural habitats or homes.” – Reiter (1885)

“Ecology is the study of the reciprocal relationship between living organisms and their environment.” – Earnest Haeckel (1889)

Ecological hierarchy

The interaction of organisms with their environment results in the establishment of grouping of organisms which is called ecological hierarchy or ecological levels of organization.

The basic unit of ecological hierarchy is an individual organism. The hierarchy of ecological systems is illustrated below:

Branches of Ecology:

Ecology is mainly divided into two branches, they are autecology and synecology.

• Autecology is the ecology of an individual species and is also called species ecology.
• Synecology is the ecology of a population or community with one or more species and also called as community ecology.

Many advances and developments in the field ecology resulted in various new dimensions and branches. Some of the advanced fields are Molecular ecology, Eco technology, Statistical ecology and Environmental toxicology.

Habitat and Niche

Habitat

Habitat is a specifi physical place or locality occupied by an organism or any species which has a particular combination of abiotic or environmental factors. But the environment of any community is called Biotope.

Niche

An ecological niche refers to an organism’s place in the biotic environment and its functional role in an ecosystem. The term was coined by the naturalist Roswell Hill Johnson but Grinell (1917) was probably first to use this term. The habitat and niche of any organism is called Ecotope.

The differences between habitat and niche are as follows.

Ecological equivalents

Taxonomically diffrent species occupying similar habitats (Niches) in diffrent geographical regions are called Ecological equivalents.

Examples:

• Certain species of epiphytic orchids of Western Ghats of India differ from the epiphytic orchids of South America. But they are epiphytes.
• Species of the grass lands of Western Ghats of India differ from the grass species of temperate grass lands of Steppe in North America. But they are all ecologically primary producers and fulfiling similar roles in their respective communities.

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Future Biotechnology

Biotechnology has become a comprehensive scientific venture from the point of academic and commercial angles, within a short time with the sequencing of human genome and genome of some important organisms. The future developments in biotechnology will be exciting. Thus the development in biotechnology will lead to a new scientific revolution that would change the lives and future of people.

Like industrial and computer revolution, biotechnological revolution will also promise major changes in many aspects of modern life.

Biotechnology is also revolutionizing the diagnosis of diseases caused by genetic factors. New tests can detect changes in the DNA sequence of genes associated with disease risk and can predict the likelihood that a patient will develop a disease.

The ability of therapeutics and vaccines to treat and prevent diseases has been well documented. Biotechnology has been central to these advances, progressively offering the ability to make more complicated medicines and vaccines, opening up the treatment and prevention of a broader set of diseases.

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Intellectual Rights of Property (Ipr), Biosafety and Bioethics

Intellectual property right (IPR) is a category of rights that includes intangible creation of the human intellect, and primarily consists of copyrights, patents, and trademarks. It also includes other types of rights, such as trade secrets, publicity rights, moral rights, and rights against unfair competition.

In biotechnology, the transformed microorganisms and plants and technologies for the production of commercial products are exclusively the property of the discoverer. The discoverer has the full rights on his property. It should not be neglected by the others without legal permission.

The right of discoverer must be protected and it does by certain laws framed by a country. The IPR is protected by different ways like patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks, designs and geographical indications.

Patents

It is a special right to the discoverer/inventor that has been granted by the government through legislation for trading new articles. A patent is a personal property which can be licensed or sold by the person or organisation just like any other property. Patent terms give the inventor the rights to exclude others from making, using or selling his invention.

Biosafety and Bioethics

Advances in biotechnology and their applications deals with genetic manipulation.

Biosafety

Biosafety is the prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health. These prevention mechanisms include conduction of regular reviews of the biosafety in laboratory settings, as well as strict guidelines to follow. Many laboratories handling biohazards employ an ongoing risk management assessment and enforcement process for biosafety. Failures to follow such protocols can lead to increased risk of exposure to biohazards or pathogens.

Bioethics – Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI)

Bioethics refers to the study of ethical issues emerging from advances in biology and medicine. It is also a moral discernment as it relates to medical policy and practice. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology and medicine. It includes the study of values relating to primary care and other branches of medicine.

The scope of bioethics is directly related to biotechnology, including cloning, gene therapy, life extension, human genetic engineering, astroethics life in space, and manipulation of basic biology through altered DNA, RNA and proteins.

These developments in biotechnology will affect future evolution, and may require new principles, such as biotic ethics, that values life and its basic biological characters and structures. The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) program was founded in 1990 as an integral part of the Human Genome Project.

The mission of the ELSI program was to identify and address issues raised by genomic research that would affect individuals, families, and society. A percentage of the Human Genome Project budget at the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy was devoted to ELSI research.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)

GEAC is an apex body under Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate change for regulating manufacturing, use, import, export and storage of hazardous microbes or genetically modifid organisms (GMOs) and cells in the country. It was established as an apex body to accord approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production.

The GEAC is also responsible for approval of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.